s your education?"

"I passed through our district school, and went for several terms to the
Green Mountain Academy. I have taught three terms of school."

"Three terms! You certainly must have commenced young."

"Yes; I was not very old. I got my first school when I was fifteen."

"Do you write a good hand? Please come to this desk, and show me what
you can do."

Herbert complied readily with the request, and was most happy to do so,
for he had spent many hours in practicing penmanship, and now wrote a
beautiful hand.

Richard Goldwin was surprised when he took up the sheet of paper and ran
his eye over the well formed letters.

"Mr. Mortimer, will you please show me what you can do with the pen?"
said the banker.

Felix rose to his feet, and the color rose to his face. He wasn't very
powerful with the pen, and he knew it; but another matter disconcerted
him. He feared, and well he might, that his writing would resemble,
only too closely, that in the recommendation which he had shown to Mr.
Goldwin. But he was equal to the emergency, and, to make the disguise
perfect, he gave to his writing the left hand or backhand stroke. This
was done at the expense of his penmanship, which, however, would not
have been considered absolutely bad, had it not been compared with the
gracefully and perfectly cut letters of Herbert Randolph.

The banker looked at both critically for a moment, and then, after a
pause, said:

"Mr. Mortimer, I would like to speak with you alone."

The latter followed him to the outer office.

"Your manner pleases me, young man," said Mr. Goldwin, pleasantly, "and
with one exception I see but little choice between you two boys, but
that little is in your competitor's favor."

The color left Felix Mortimer's face.

"I refer," continued the banker, "to his penmanship, which you must
acknowledge is far superior to your own; and a good handwriting
adds much to one's value in an office of this sort. I see you are
disappointed, and I knew you would be. Do not, however, feel
discouraged, as it is possible I may do something for you yet. If Mr.
Randolph should prove unsatisfactory in any respect, he will not be
retained permanently. You may, therefore, if you choose, run in here
again in a day or two."

Young Mortimer was greatly disappointed and even deeply chagrined, for
he had supposed himself more than capable of holding his own against
this unsophisticated country lad. Had he not attempted to